Poinsettia plant named ‘PER12—11’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘PER12_11’, characterized by its uniform, upright and mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; inflorescences with pale pink-colored flower bracts; and good post-production longevity.

Botanical designation: Euphorbia×hybrid.

Cultivar denomination: ‘PER12_11’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: Poinsettia Plant Named ‘PER35_11’

Applicant: Ruth Kobayashi

Filed: Jan. 9, 2016, concurrently with this application Ser. No. 14/998,481

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia×hybrid, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘PER12_11’.

The new Poinsettia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Encinitas, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create new uniform Poinsettia plants having inflorescences with numerous attractive flower bracts and excellent post-production longevity.

The new Poinsettia plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Euphorbia×hybrid ‘PERHC59B’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,158. The new Poinsettia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of ‘PERHC59B’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Encinitas, Calif. on Sep. 27, 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Encinitas, Calif. since January, 2011 has shown that the unique features of this new Poinsettia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Poinsettia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘PER12_11’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘PER12_11’ as a new and distinct Poinsettia plant:

-   -   1. Uniform, upright and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   5. Under natural season conditions, plants flower in         mid-November in Southern California.     -   6. Inflorescences with pale pink-colored flower bracts.     -   7. Good post-production longevity.

Plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of the mutation parent, ‘PERHC59B’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia are not as vigorous as plants of         ‘PERHC59B’.     -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia and ‘PERHC59B’ differ in flower         bract color as flower bracts of plants of ‘PERHC59B’ are hot         pink in color with light pink-colored margins.

Plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of Euphorbia×hybrid, ‘PER35_11’, in flower bract color as flower bracts of plants of ‘PER35_11’ are bright red purple in color with white-colored margins. In addition, plants of the new Poinsettia are not as vigorous as plants of ‘PER35_11’.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the Euphorbia×hybrid ‘PERHC18B’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differed primarily from plants of ‘PERHC18B’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia were male and female sterile         whereas plants of ‘PERHC18B’ were male fertile and female         sterile.     -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia and ‘PERCH18B’ differed in         flower bract color as flower bracts of plants of ‘PERHC18B’ were         darker pink in color.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can also be compared to plants of the Euphorbia ‘Princettia Hot Pink’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differed primarily from plants of ‘Princettia Hot Pink’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia were more vigorous than plants         of ‘Princettia Hot Pink’.     -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia were more upright than and not         as mounding as plants of ‘Princettia Hot Pink’.     -   3. Plants of the new Poinsettia and ‘Princettia Hot Pink’         differed in flower bract color as flower bracts of plants of         ‘Princettia Hot Pink’ were hot pink in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Poinsettia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Poinsettia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side to top perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘PER12_11’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘PER12_11’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and in the following detailed description were grown during the late autumn/early winter in 16.5-cm containers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Encinitas, Calif. under natural season conditions and cultural practices typical of commercial Poinsettia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 26° C., night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 5,000 foot-candles. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Plants were pinched one time and were 25 weeks old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Euphorbia×hybrid ‘PER12_11’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of     Euphorbia×hybrid ‘PERHC59B’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.     24,158. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About seven to ten days at night             temperatures about 20° C. and day temperatures about 27° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About four weeks at             night temperatures about 20° C. and day temperatures about             27° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; typically white in color, actual             color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition,             water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate             temperature and physiological age of roots. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant habit and form.—Uniform, upright and mounded plant             habit; inverted triangle; large branched inflorescences             positioned above the foliar plane; moderately vigorous             growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 33 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 43 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity: Freely branching             habit, about six to seven lateral branches develop after             pinching. Length: About 29 cm. Diameter: Thick, about 7.5 mm             to 8 mm. Internode length: About 1 cm to 2 cm. Strength:             Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Luster: Moderately             glossy. Color: Close to between 144A and 146A.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 11.4 cm. Width: About 6.4 cm. Shape: Narrowly ovate to             elliptical. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Obtuse with cuneate             tendencies. Margin: Entire; undulate. Aspect: Mostly             horizontal. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous;             velvety. Texture, lower surface: Glabrous; prominent             venation. Luster, upper and lower surfaces: Matte. Venation             pattern: Pinnate, arcuate. Color: Developing and fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Darker green than between             N137A and 147A; venation, close to 146A to 146B. Developing             and fully expanded leaves, lower surface: More green than             147B; venation, close to 146B to 146C. Leaf petioles:             Length: About 5 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Luster, upper and lower             surfaces: Somewhat glossy. Color, upper surface: Close to             146A to 146B. Color, lower surface: Close to 146B to 146C. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence type and habit.—Inflorescences are compound             corymbs of cyathia with colored flower bracts subtending the             cyathia; inflorescences positioned above the foliar plane.         -   Quantity of inflorescence.—One inflorescence develops per             lateral branch; inflorescences typically are divided into             three parts.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering response.—Under natural season conditions, plants             typically flower in mid-November in Southern California;             under artificial long nyctoperiod/short photoperiod             conditions, plants flower about seven to eight weeks later.         -   Post-production longevity.—Good post-production longevity;             plants of the new Poinsettia maintain good substance and             flower bract color for about four to six weeks under             interior conditions; inflorescences persistent.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter, per inflorescence division:             About 15 cm. Height (depth): About 5 cm.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence division: About 15             to 18. Length, largest bracts: About 7.5 cm. Width, largest             bracts: About 3.75 cm. Shape: Narrowly ovate to elliptical.             Apex: Acute to slightly acuminate. Base: Obtuse with cuneate             tendencies. Margin: Mostly entire; slightly undulate.             Aspect: Initially upright and becoming closer to horizontal             with development. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous;             velvety. Texture, lower surface: Glabrous; prominent             venation. Luster, upper and lower surfaces: Matte. Venation             pattern: Pinnate, arcuate. Color: Developing or transitional             bracts, upper surface: Ground color, brighter green than             146A; irregular and random interveinal sectors, close to             NN155C, 62C and 62D. Developing or transitional bracts,             lower surface: Ground color, more green than 146A; irregular             and random interveinal sectors, close to 155D. Fully             expanded bracts, upper surface: Close to 62B to 62C;             occasionally flecks, close to N57A; color does not fade with             development. Fully expanded bracts, lower surface: Close to             62C to 62D; color does not fade with development. Bract             petioles: Length: About 2.1 cm. Diameter: About 2.25 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Luster,             upper and lower surfaces: Somewhat glossy. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 144A to 144B.         -   Cyathia.—Rudimentary cyathia have been observed, however             they do not develop stamens nor pistils and typically             abscise as the flower bracts develop color. Quantity per             inflorescence division: About 15 to 18. Length: About 3 mm.             Width: About 2.5 mm. Shape: Round. Color: Close to N144A.         -   Nectaries.—None observed.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright to outwardly. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to N144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Cyathia of plants of the new             Poinsettia have not been observed to develop stamens.             Pistils: Cyathia of plants of the new Poinsettia have not             been observed to develop pistils.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production has not been             observed on plants of the new Poinsettia. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have not     been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Poinsettia plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 16° C. to about     29° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Poinsettia plant named ‘PER12_11’ as illustrated and described. 